Ling Han swept a glance over him, and could not help frowning as he said, “Only in the eighth layer of Element Gathering Tier? You’re advancing a bit too slowly!”
Zhu Wu Jiu could not stop his face from twitching.
It had only been ten plus days, and he had managed to directly leap from the late period of the seventh layer of Element Gathering Tier to the peak period, and even managed to break through all the way to the eighth layer of Element Gathering Tier. This was enough to make him ecstatic, and also made him finally believe Ling Han’s words—that he could really help him surpass Nangong Ji in half a year’s time.
He desired greater power. On one hand, he wanted to avenge his beloved, while on the other, desire for power was deeply engraved in the blood and bones of each martial artist in the first place. Thus, as soon as he had broken through to the eighth layer of Element Gathering Tier, he went to see Ling Han—he would be too embarrassed to see Ling Han if he had not broken through first.
But he had never imagined that Ling Han would still resent him for being too slow!!
“Ai, you have the constitution of Silver Moon and the first time you start cultivating the Silver Moon Arts, you should have experienced a sudden explosion of your bloodline which would stimulate a spike-like improvement in your cultivation level. But, you have only advanced slightly. Looks like your bloodline is not very pure.” Ling Han shook his head, looking a bit disappointed.
But when he thought about it, this was actually very normal. After all, the Silver Moon Race was long rumored to have been completely wiped out, so Zhu Wu Jiu’s bloodline was definitely not very pure. Who knows, it may have been a recessive gene which allowed the bloodline to appear in him, while both his parents may very possibly only have normal constitution.
“Take this. Break through to Gushing Spring Tier within one month. If you are unable to, you do not need to come see me again.” Ling Han tossed a pill bottle over to him. There were ten Ancient Clear Pills inside this pill bottle.
Break through to Gushing Spring Tier in a single month?
Zhu Wu Jiu experienced a shock. How could that be possible! He was sure he would be able to break through to the ninth layer of Element Gathering Tier or even reach the peak period of the ninth layer within one month’s time, but to break through to Gushing Spring Tier? That required him to transform his Origin Nucleus into a Gushing Spring of Origin Power, and involved enough comprehension and understanding of his cultivation. Spending even three to five years—eight or ten years even—to successfully break through was already quite good, but a single month?
Just look, there were so many disciples in Hu Yang Academy, but how many of them were actually in Gushing Spring Tier?
Less than a hundred, and the majority of these people were above twenty five years old!
But if he did not manage to break through to Gushing Spring Tier in one month, then he would not even be qualified to become Ling Han’s subordinate?
Immediately, a strong wave of rebellious feelings rose up within Zhu Wu Jiu. If it had been anyone else, wouldn’t he have died of happiness after winning himself a chance to free himself? But Zhu Wu Jiu was a man of his word, and he also had his pride.
Being disregarded even for the lowly position of a subordinate… how could he still have face to stand tall and walk with an upright spine in future?
“Alright. Within one month, I will definitely break through to Gushing Spring Tier!” he forced out through gritted teeth.
“Go on!” Ling Han waved him off.
Zhu Wu Jiu turned and left. Behind him, Ling Han smiled. With his alchemical pills and his deliberate provocation just now, this silly boy from the Silver Moon Race should be able to break through to Gushing Spring Tier in one month, right?
“Play! Play!” Hu Niu tugged at his hand, looking very displeased.
“Alright, let’s go play.” Ling Han and Hu Niu exited the Academy. They toured around the Imperial City once and he dropped in the Cherishing Flower Pavilion on the way.
“Why are you here?” after being informed by the servants, Yun Shuang Shuang very quickly appeared in front of him.
Ling Han shook his head, and asked, “Have you been beaten up or scolded by someone that you are venting your anger on me?”
“You are the one that has been beaten up!” Yun Shuang Shuang said irritatedly. She was irate about how Ling Han always appeared serene.
Though she hated it when others would look pervertedly at her, as a beautiful woman, she would naturally have her own pride. However, when Ling Han looked at her, it was as if he was looking at air. She would of course be extremely displeased by this, and whenever she set eyes upon this young man, she would have the urge to grit her teeth.
“Here, this is the Permanent Pill that was promised to Lady Yan. Take it.” Ling Han took out a jade bottle and placed it on the table.
“It… it’s already concocted?” Yun Shuang Shuang immediately asked, filled with pleasant surprise and no longer bothering about acting quarrelsome.
“An alchemical pill at this kind of level, would it still require a few days’ preparation before beginning the concoction process?” Ling Han clicked his tongue.
Yun Shuang Shuang could not help but become suspicious. Even two big bosses of alchemy like Fu Yuan Sheng and Wu Song Lin had shaken their heads at this Permanent Pill, but after only one night, Ling Han actually brought over the completed pill. Could he be lying?
“I can’t be bothered to talk too long with a silly little girl like you. Just hand the pill over to Lady Yan. I’m leaving.” Ling Han picked up Hu Niu. The little girl had played too wildly and was tired out—she had fallen fast asleep.
Silly little girl?
Yun Shuang Shuang almost transformed into a vicious hag and pounced on him. This brat had to be blind. Couldn’t he see her enchanting figure and curves? What kind of silly little girl have you seen that would have such protruding breasts and raised behind like her?
“And you are a silly boy who is still wet behind the ears!” she countered.
“Bye, silly little girl,” Ling Han waved at her, and strode out.
“Wayaya, I’m going to die from fury!” Yun Shuang Shuang stomped her feet in anger, but after a while, she said to herself, “Whether it’s real or fake, I’ll let Milady take a look at it first.” She quickly went into a courtyard in the deepest parts of Cherishing Flower Pavilion. Lady Yan would usually be here if there was nothing that required her attention.
“Milady!” she stepped into the courtyard and knocked lightly on the door.
“Come in.” Lady Yan’s voice was heard from within, and it sounded a bit tired and helpless.
Yun Shuang Shuang pushed open the door and entered. It was a bedroom that she had stepped into. Lady Yan was currently sitting at the bedside, while on the bed lay a delicate and pretty-looking youth who looked to be only about fifteen or sixteen years old. The youth’s appearance actually had a forty to fifty percent resemblance with Lady Yan.
“Lady Yan, Ling Han came over just now and delivered the Permanent Pill,” Yun Shuang Shuang said softly, though she knew that no matter how loudly she spoke, she would not be able to awaken that sleeping youth.
“What!” Lady Yan suddenly stood, her face filled with shock.
“This is the Permanent Pill that Ling Han has brought over.” Yun Shuang Shuang took out the pill bottle that Ling Han had given to her. Though she was very doubtful about the authenticity of this pill bottle, she did not speak out of turn and left it for Lady Yan to decide.
Lady Yan extended a hand and received the pill bottle. Because she was too excited, her hands were even uncontrollably trembling. She had just glimpsed a sliver of hope yesterday night, but had never imagined that this sliver of hope would become reality today.
It was not that she had not considered the possibility that this pill might be fake, but in front of the colossal hope, she chose to ignore this possibility.
She opened the bottle, and inside lay only three pills. They were yellowish-red in color and had a sweet and bitter smell.
“This color and smell is the same as what Master Yang Jun had described!” she looked even more excited. She looked at the youth that was asleep on the bed, gritted her teeth, and said, “Shuang Shuang, get me some water.”
Yun Shuang Shuang knew that Lady Yan had made her decision, and quickly went to pour a cup of clear water and brought it over.
Lady Yan pried open the youth’s teeth, and squeezed in a Permanent Pill. Meanwhile, Yun Shuang Shuang neared with the cup. She tipped the cup, and the pill was washed down into the youth’s body by the water.
The two females looked at the youth anxiously, and after only a while, the eyelids of the youth actually twitched!
“Shuang Shuang, did you see? Did you see?” Lady Yan asked in a trembling voice.
“Yes, Milady! I saw it!” Yun Shuang Shuang nodded quickly.
“Ten years! Ten years!” tears rolled down Lady Yan’s cheeks, “Tian’er can finally wake up!”
“Congratulations, Milady!” Yun Shuang Shuang smiled widely.